Won the Wal pickup on ebay!!!

[sandmangeck]

What is an estimate on cost for 1 and 2 pickup combos?

.

 

[MPU]

If it's that easy to make these pickups as some of the writers seem to think they just have to start making them. I don't understand why it seems that David has been a bad boy when he said he'll have those pickups soon and couldn't do that. If he had taken orders and payments it would be another story. No special parts are needed to make something very similar to Wal, but it takes a hell of a lot time. If all the time with common available parts and materials is added to the price nobody would buy these pickups. I understand that David wants to make these with as little extra time needed as possible. That's why he needs special parts.
Marko

 

[bassvirtuoso]

If it's that easy to make these pickups as some of the writers seem to think they just have to start making them. I don't understand why it seems that David has been a bad boy when he said he'll have those pickups soon and couldn't do that. If he had taken orders and payments it would be another story. No special parts are needed to make something very similar to Wal, but it takes a hell of a lot time. If all the time with common available parts and materials is added to the price nobody would buy these pickups. I understand that David wants to make these with as little extra time needed as possible. That's why he needs special parts.
Marko

+1

 

[Jared Lash]

Good lord, some of those "soon"s where from 2009! Not professional at all. You don't lead on your customers, you either say TBA or seal your lips until done. There really is no excuse for this, I'm outta this thread man. Maybe ACG would be better suited for my business.


Someone had to say it.

I've lost count of the number of threads on TB asking how to get a Wal tone without a Wal. But the answer was always the same - a G&L or Bongo might get you in the ballpark but there's really substitute.

So I understand people wanting what David is creating. And I have been a bit disappointed that it hasn't been made available already. But I also understand that as a one man business David only gets to work on this project when time allows.

I'd never steer anyone away from Alan and ACG - I think he's a fantastic guy who builds incredible basses. That said, it certainly sounds like both will be offering their new product at the same time.

If you want a Wal-like pickup and a hugely versatile ACG/East preamp in one of Alan's amazing basses I say go for it. Or if you'd like an exact Wal pickup and preamp clone to drop into any bass you'd like, talk to David.

But I guess I don't understand being upset because someone missed their own deadlines. As MPU noted, it isn't as if SGD has taken orders or money for these pickups. They've just had delays in development. It reminds me of the negativity towards Taylor of Iron Ether in the effects thread because his Bubble Chamber filter was delayed and later cancelled because he couldn't get the circuit to work up to his expectations.

In both cases it wasn't the builder making announcements about when the product would be ready but responding to requests for updates from TBers. Part of my job is marketing for a company that brings in house engineered products to market. I fully understand that there are lots of twists and turns during development and schedules can be hard to keep. The smaller the business the more that's the case.

 

[eddododo]

Blahblahblah, people.

Why dont y'all try shutting up and practicing while he finishes this gear youre all demanding that will just make your playing so much better....
(like looking at someone with a bad complexion on HD instead of a 10'' tv with bunnyears

 

[eddododo]

I'll answer that with a quote from another builder:

Four weeks, start to finish. This thread's been filled with four years of promises with no update pics, no final dimensions, no sound samples, no dates met.

"Apples to oranges."

Maybe, but in terms of productivity, it clearly can be done, and with much shorter wait.

I want David to finish these. I want him to produce a product that we'll all love, and for him to earn a tidy income from it. From an outside observer's point, it certainly seems like he should have been able to do it by now.

Youre a jackass

 

[SGD Lutherie]

OK, I'm going to make an official statement on what's going on.

First off I like Alan and his basses, as well as the Armstrongs, so I wasn't trying to say one product will be better, etc.

Now on to my offering.

The preamp designer only came on board in July 2012 after I realized that the construction of the Wal pickup was so much more specialized than any of my current designs, and that the system would need absolute integration to get 'that' sound.

We're currently working with suppliers in order to get the highest quality parts.

Bringing this system from prototype to manufacture requires a well thought out and proven methodology. As MPU mentioned, the pickup is labor intensive to make. I can wind three sets of pickups in the time it takes to wind one of these.

So to be able to make it cost effective without cutting corners, I decided to redesign the pickup. It will operate exactly like the original, but is a bit easier to manufacture and is a little more compact. If I had a factory full of employees that would be different.

Yes, you could buy a Wal... but our system is a considerable
improvement, especially where noise and interference are concerned. The Wal preamp actually uses an obsolete op amp. There are much better components these days.

One thing I want to point out is that this version of the pickup and preamp will be better than if I had released the preamp and pickup two years ago. I started out making an exact copy, and then realized that things could be improved. This same evolution goes on with my own pickups.

 

[LukeFRC]

Wal does (EDIT: Or to be more accurate, Electric Wood Ltd.). That's why there aren't any real clones out there yet: they make them, and only make them for their basses; not as aftermarket parts.

are they a big enough outfit to make it all in house? or is some of it made exclusively for them by local suppliers?

 

[LukeFRC]

OK, I'm going to make an official statement on what's going on.

First off I like Alan and his basses, as well as the Armstrongs, so I wasn't trying to say one product will be better, etc.

Now on to my offering.

The preamp designer only came on board in July 2012 after I realized that the construction of the Wal pickup was so much more specialized than any of my current designs, and that the system would need absolute integration to get 'that' sound.

We're currently working with suppliers in order to get the highest quality parts.

Bringing this system from prototype to manufacture requires a well thought out and proven methodology. As MPU mentioned, the pickup is labor intensive to make. I can wind three sets of pickups in the time it takes to wind one of these.

So to be able to make it cost effective without cutting corners, I decided to redesign the pickup. It will operate exactly like the original, but is a bit easier to manufacture and is a little more compact. If I had a factory full of employees that would be different.

Yes, you could buy a Wal... but our system is a considerable
improvement, especially where noise and interference are concerned. The Wal preamp actually uses an obsolete op amp. There are much better components these days.

One thing I want to point out is that this version of the pickup and preamp will be better than if I had released the preamp and pickup two years ago. I started out making an exact copy, and then realized that things could be improved. This same evolution goes on with my own pickups.

Which is why what you're working on is an exciting thing- someone looking at something and going to improve it. Spot on!

 

[Jared Lash]

are they a big enough outfit to make it all in house? or is some of it made exclusively for them by local suppliers?

Jimmy Coppolo and Carey Nordstrand are just two examples of small (or Alleva Coppolo's case one man) operations that build their own electronics in house. Obviously Wal has more complicated builds and of course the components are sourced) but my understanding was that they did all their electronics themselves.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Obviously Wal has more complicated builds and of course the components are sourced) but my understanding was that they did all their electronics themselves.

Yes, they did everything themselves. Ian Waller designed the electronics. Pete Stevens was the luthier. They are both gone now, and luthier Paul Herman, who used to work at Electric Wood Ltd. is running the company.

 

[isher1992]

Which is why what you're working on is an exciting thing- someone looking at something and going to improve it. Spot on!

Indeedy. It's kind of interesting to see that something that so many people already regard as perfect could even be improved further.

 

[eddododo]

I'll answer that with a quote from another builder:

Four weeks, start to finish. This thread's been filled with four years of promises with no update pics, no final dimensions, no sound samples, no dates met.

"Apples to oranges."

Maybe, but in terms of productivity, it clearly can be done, and with much shorter wait.

I want David to finish these. I want him to produce a product that we'll all love, and for him to earn a tidy income from it. From an outside observer's point, it certainly seems like he should have been able to do it by now.

He's not 'building' he is 'designing' you assclown
Not to mention I built a pedal in a couple of days.. Does that mean that 3leaf should be able to design a new pedal and massproduce it to a bunch of entitled crybabies in a few days ?

 

[Unrepresented]

He's not 'building' he is 'designing' you assclown
Not to mention I built a pedal in a couple of days.. Does that mean that 3leaf should be able to design a new pedal and massproduce it to a bunch of entitled crybabies in a few days ?

If they spent almost four years repeatedly describing their product as being nearly ready for release, I would expect that product to be available for release.

 

[isher1992]

If they spent almost four years repeatedly describing their product as being nearly ready for release, I would expect that product to be available for release.

Which would totally make sense if it were something that was being produced actively. He is designing/creating this product on his own time.

 

[kraigo]

Exactly what harm has it done? Did the announcement keep anyone from buying one of the plethora of other Wal clone pickup/preamp options? Oh wait - there aren't any other commercially available Wal clone pickup/preamp options.

KO

 

[Unrepresented]

Which would totally make sense if it were something that was being produced actively. He is designing/creating this product on his own time.

Then say that. The consistent "soon" estimates come across as misleading when they're three years stale and we as customers have no tangible reason to believe we're any closer to a release date.

Underpromise, overdeliver. Having a realistic appraisal ability conveys professionalism, the opposite is annoying to your would-be customers.

Is it the end of the world? Of course not. Would I have preferred to have been playing my Wal pickups equipped bass three years ago? Absolutely. Do I appreciate feeling misled? No.

 

[eddododo]

Exactly what harm has it done? Did the announcement keep anyone from buying one of the plethora of other Wal clone pickup/preamp options? Oh wait - there aren't any other commercially available Wal clone pickup/preamp options.

KO

Teehee

 

[SGD Lutherie]

Then say that. The consistent "soon" estimates come across as misleading when they're three years stale and we as customers have no tangible reason to believe we're any closer to a release date.

No one said this pickup would be available three years ago. From the time I got the pickup to study, a good year went by before I had enough information to build one from cobbled together parts. Then another year went by when I was collaborating with another builder. In that time some custom magnets were sourced and some other parts I'm not going to use.

In more recent times when I said soon, I meant soon. This has slipped by as I made numerous changes. These changes came about as I was working on actually building some pickups.

But hang tight... because the project will be done fairly soon.

 

[Toolmybass]

I think everyone has good points here that should be considered. Especially now that David is providing "more" info as to whats going on..... instead of alot of "SOON's!"

My opinion is that once David (as he pointed out) kept re-designing this p/u eventually this would be to our benefit or anyone that ends up ordering one of these sets, and the fact that he isnt "chinching" out on parts just to appease us and get something out there is a def PLUS!

The negative is that once David realized how much is needed into this project, he should of came out and said "Its not going to be SOON...sorry guys....its going to be awhile because im going to put out the best product that i can, if im going to put my "name" on this product. This obviously didnt happen and is possibly an un-acceptable business practice in some areas of the country...or in other countries. There isnt anything we can do about it.

If David is going to say these things below, its going to be misleading and possibly upsetting to some.

Davids statement from 6/22/12

"I can make one of these pickups today. I could have it ready in a few hours."

Davids statement from 7/11/12

"No finalized dimensions yet, but they will be in MM covers."

To ME (cant speak for everyone here) the above bolded statements are confusing,contradictory and misleading and thats why i un-subbed from this thread.

Also if you go through and look 99.9% of ANY kind of "build" projects/threads on TB there is pics to show progress....even if David had to keep changing things and is quoted as saying he could have a p/u ready in the same day, he could have provided us with something....that is another reason i got frustrated!

Please read my bolded statement below before calling me a "Jackass"

All said, i hope that David NAILS this project and shuts some traps, including mine. IMO there is NO other bass or project or p/u,pre combo out there that even comes CLOSE...especially including ANY G&L model. I can say this because i have owned both Wals,G&L's and EBMM's

This guy did a pretty good job on the 3 bottom strings but no "Wal" growl and the E string sound is way way off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m2O_VHs_wE&feature=plcp

This is my final .02 until i can comment on actual audio/video clips of David's working product. Im going to stay out of future posts and ones regarding my above comments and give David the benefit of the doubt.